Can the word まだしも be broken up into distinct meanings?

Question

I'm studying grammar, and one of the new forms that I'm learning uses the word まだしも. I looked it up and I found:

類語：

まだいいが　/ まだ何とかなるが

Based on how the word is used in the following examples:

1人や2人ならまだしも，10人も事務所へ押し掛けて来て参った

I could have handled [coped with] one or two of them, but I was flabbergasted when ten people pushed their way into my office.

寒いだけならまだしも，おなかがすいてきた

I was not only cold but also hungry.／I would not have minded the cold so much, but I also began to feel hungry.

I'm wondering if まだしも can be broken into multiple parts まだ, し, and も. Where まだ would indicate "as yet; hitherto; still; not yet". If this is possible, what role does しand も play in the context of this word? I'm wondering why し and も constitute to the "いいが" or "何とかなるが" portion. Specifically が.

Answer 1

Yes, it can be broken down into multiple parts like sawa explains.

Together しも intensifies the meaning of the word it is attached to (強意を表す) and comes from classical Japanese ([古典]{こてん}) (reference).

Here are some examples of しも in use (however, in modern Japanese, only these set phrases are used):

誰しも悪役を演じなければいけない時がある。

希望は無きにしもあらずだ。

必ずしもそうとはいえない。

初桜折りしも今日は良き日なり